Portable litter bag holder

ABSTRACT

A portable litter bag holder is disclosed which is formed out of bent tubular material. The folding frame has a support stake with a right triangular foot piece secured thereto for pressing the same into the ground by standing on it. A rectangular bag frame is pivotally mounted to the support stake and a plastic bag of the typical 5 to 7 gallon plastic household variety has its upper edges folded around the bag frame, and is secured in place by a cover which is pivotally mounted to the bag frame along the edge opposite to the pivotal mount of the support stake to the bag frame. Stops are provided on the cover as well as the bag frame to insure the proper relationship of the parts when in operation, and yet permit the unit to be folded into a flat configuration.

United States Patent Ballenger [54] PORTABLE LITTER BAG HOLDER [72] inventor: William G. Ballenger, Highland Park, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Central Specialties Co., Chicago, 111.

[22] Filed: March 24, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 127,729

Gay et a1 ..248/97 x July 25, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,464,798 1/1967 France ..248/99 461,346 7/1968 Switzerland ..248/97 Primary Examiner-Chancellor E. Harris Att0rney-Dominik, Knechtel & Godula [5 7] ABSTRACT A portable litter bag holder is disclosed which is formed out of bent tubular material. The folding frame has a support stake with a right triangular foot piece secured thereto for pressing the same into the ground by standing on it. A rectangular bag frame is pivotally mounted to the support stake and a plastic bag of the typical 5 to 7 gallon plastic household variety has its upper edges folded around the bag frame, and is secured in place by a cover which is pivotally mounted to the bag frame along the edge opposite to the pivotal mount of the support stake to the bag frame. Stops are provided on the cover as well as the bag frame to insure the proper relationship of the parts when in operation, and yet permit the unit to be folded into a flat configuration.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures WENFEMMS m2 IN VEN TOR William G. Bal/enger Adm f'w ATTYS.

PORTABLE LITTER BAG HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of invention relates primarily to supports for bags and generally classified in US. Pat. Office Class 248 sub 97.

The prior art is exemplified firstly as to the support stake and foot piece in US. Pats. Nos. 812,157 and 3,141,644. Such devices are not configured, however, to retain a disposable bag particularly in a windproof condition. The supports for bags are generally exemplified in US. Pats. Nos. 2,995,329; 3,095,172; 3,491,973; 3,494,541; and 3,502,291.

Various of these prior art devices will hold a litter bag such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,291. No cover is provided, nor is any means provided for securing the same in the ground. The bag holder shown in US. Pat. No. 3,494,541 discloses a cover, but no means for supporting the same in the ground, and no means for folding the entire unit into a small configuration for travel ing such as required in a camper. Similar comments are applicable to US. Pat. No. 3,491,973.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In view of the foregoing, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide a portable litter bag holder which can be folded into a relatively small configuration, and yet is sturdy, windproof, self-locking, and sanitary in operation An additional object of the invention looks to easy cleaning of the portable litter bag holder after it has had considerable use, and further more a construction which inherently reduces the likelihood of contamination from the refuse thrown into the portable litter bag.

An additional object of the present invention is to design a portable litter bag holder with all of the objectives embodied as set forth above which economical to manufacture both from the standpoint of ultimate configuration and tooling costs.

The invention of the portable litter bag holder comprises a construction which includes a folding frame having a support stake and a bag frame which is pivotally secured to the support stake. The bag frame has a stop provided on it to terminate the pivotal action of the bag frame when it is in a plane substan tially perpendicular to the support stake. A cover is provided which is pivotally secured to the bag frame along a pivot axis parallel to the pivot axis of the bag frame about the stake, and further optionally provided with a stop which limits the travel of the cover to a position approximately parallel with that of the bag frame. The stake may be advantageously provided with a foot piece of an inverted right triangular configuration providing an upwardly facing step at the lower portion of the support stake so that by holding one hand on the pivotal portion of the bag frame, and the other hand on the front edge of the cover, one foot may be placed atop the foot piece and the stake impaled in the ground for supporting the unit. Additionally a recess may be provided around the underside of the cover which overlappingly engages the plastic bag which is secured to the bag frame.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description of an illustrative embodiment proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation showing the portable litter bag holder in its folded configuration for travel, shipment, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a perspective partially diagrammatic view showing the portable litter bag holder with the cover in a partially opened position.

FIG. 3 is a further perspective partially diagramitic view showing the cover of the portable litter bag holder in its open position, and a pair of hands illustrating how the plastic bag is secured to the bag frame.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partially broken view illustrating the joints where the bag frame pivotally is secured to the support stake.

FIG. 5 is a transverse enlarged partially sectioned view taken through the upper portion of the portable litter bag holder when the cover is closed illustrating the cooperative relationship between the bag frame and the cover as well as the support stake.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partially broken sectional view showing the relationship between the bag frame and its hinge pin which secures the cover to the bag frame taken generally along section line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT By referring to the drawings it will be seen that the portable litter bag holder 10 is secured into the ground 13 by means of pushing down on the foot piece 15 which drives the support stake 14 into the ground. A bag 20 is secured to the bag frame 18 by inserting the body portion through the generally rectangular bag frame 18 and curling the upper edges of the bag over the bag frame 18. Thereafter the cover 12, as shown in FIG. 2, is pivoted above the hinge pin 35 until the same rests atop the bag frame 18 and thereby accomplishes the two-fold purpose of covering the refuse contained in the bag 20, and resting atop the bag frame 18 in such a manner as to secure the attachment of the bag to the bag frame.

When out of use, the elements fold into a flat configuration as will be observed in FIG. 1 where the cover 12, particularly at its remote edge which is the lift tab 21, folds down generally parallel to the support stake l4 and coterminous with the end of the ground point 16. Similarly it will be seen that the bag frame 18 which pivots about the frame pivot pin 22 is generally parallel with the support stake 14, with the bag frame stop 19 extending upwardly from the stake 14 a distance approximately the same as the lower portion of the bag frame 18. In a commercial embodiment, which is capable of using regular 5 to 7 gallon plastic bags, and manufactured out of heavy 20 gauge %inch diameter zinc plated steel tubing, the same may be folded and shipped in a carbon 4 by 27 by 13 inches including a supply of plastic bags, and the weight is only 3 pounds. Thus, the low silhouette is highly advantageous for shipping and storage.

Additional details of construction are illustrated primarily in their usage in FIGS. 1 through 3, but in detail in FIGS. 4 through 6. Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the pivotal joint between the stake 14 and the bag frame 18 is defined by a stop elbow leg 31 and a pivot elbow leg 32 on that portion of the bag frame opposite the bag frame rear 30 and substantially parallel thereto. A bag frame stop elbow 26 extends generally downwardly from the plane of the bag frame 18 and rearwardly toward the bag frame rear 30. An offset bend is formed to provide the bag frame stop 19. At an opposite position, a bag frame pivot elbow 28 is provided with an orientation substantially the same as the bag frame stop elbow 26 but shorter in length. The spacing between the bag frame stop elbow 26 and bag frame pivot elbow 28 is to accommodate the width of the upper portion of the support stake 14. Further as observed in FIG. 4, a frame pivot pin 22 passes through the bag frame step elbow 26 and the bag frame pivot elbow 28 and has a flat head 24 at one end, and is geared in position by means of the nut 25 at its other end. As will be seen particularly in FIG. 5, the bag frame stop 19 abuts the support stake 14 in such a relationship that the bag frame 18 is approximately perpendicular to the support stake 14.

The cover 12, which is preferably molded of plastic, has a dimensional limitation dictated by the size of the bag frame 18, and is proportioned to be pivotally secured generally along the bag frame rear 30, and with the width sufficient to overlap the bag frame sides 29 and position the lift tab 21 approximately over the joint between the front of the bag frame defined by the two stop elbow legs 31, 32. Particularly as noted in FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be seen that a hinge pin pocket 36 is molded into the opposite sides of the cover 12 at its rear portion and an elongate hinge pin 35 positioned in the pivot hole 38 provided in the hinge pin pocket 36. The cover 12 stops in its rearwardly tilted position as shown in FIG. 3

because the open stop edge 41 beneath the rim 42 of the cover 12 abuts the underneath portion of the ends of the bag frame sides 29 as shown in the folded configuration in FIG. 1. The hinge pin 35, as shown in FIG. 6, is welded or otherwise secured to the rear portion of the bag frame sides 29, the pivotal action taking place by means of the cover 12 rotating around the pivot hold 38 provided in the hinge pin pocket 36.

The configuration of the cover 12 is illustrated primarily in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 as designed to provide a bag retainer recess 40 which generally follows the rim 42 of the cover 12 around its four-sided periphery. Particularly at the front portion of the cover 12, as seen in FIG. 2, the bag retainer recess 40 is relatively narrow and provides only sufficient space between the bag frame 18 and a recess 40 to allow the upper portion of the bag to be folded about the frame 18 (see particularly the upper left hand corner of FIG. 5).

The details of the foot piece 15 are best shown in FIG. 2. There it will be seen that the foot piece 15 is of a general right triangular configuration, and a wire bent member. The step 44 is the base of the right triangle, and the step support 45 the hypotenuse of the right triangle with the vertical leg being defined by the continuation of the support stake 14 towards its ground point 16. A pair of weld bends 46 are provided at the terminus of the step 44 and the stop support 45, and secured to the lower portion of this support stake l4 conveniently by welding. The configuration of the foot piece 15 thereafter has the geometrical integrity of a right triangle, and is conveniently engaged by the foot.

In operation the portable litter bag holder is unfolded from its configuration as shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2. While in the configuration generally as shown in FIG. 2, the user grasps the cover 12 at its lift tab 21 with one hand, and holds the other hand generally above the support stake 14 at the joint with the stop elbow leg 31 and pivot elbow leg 32 with the support stake 14. The foot is then placed atop the foot piece and more particularly on the step 44, and by guiding the support stake 14 with the hand holding the cover 12 and directly above the support stake 14, the support stake can be driven substantially perpendicularly into the ground as shown in FIG. 3. Thereafter either a five or seven gallon plastic household bag is opened and the bottom inserted through the center portion of the bag frame 18. The upper edges of the bag are curled around the members of the bag frame 18 including the bag frame rear 30, the sides 29, and the forward portion defined by the stop elbow leg 31 and pivot elbow leg 32. Here it will be observed, particularly with reference to FIG. 5, that relief is provided over the bag frame rear 30 and above the hinge pin 35 so that while the bag is curved over the bag frame rear 30 there is no interference with the pivotal action provided by the hinge pin 35 in conjunction with the hinge pin pocket 36 of the cover 12 thereby reducing action which would tend to tear the bag. Additionally, as observed in FIG. 5, it will be noted that the upper portion of the support stake 14 is well beneath the smooth curves of the bag frame pivot elbow 28 and the bag frame stop elbow 26, thereby holding the edge of the bag above that portion of the support stake which could tear the bag. Additionally, the entire configuration and co-action of the bag frame 18 with the cover 12 and the support stake 14 is designed to insure simple operation, and yet shield moving elements which could tear the bag 20 from ready contact with the bag 20.

It will be further appreciated that for purposes of cleaning, even by the rain when camping, the bag 20 is merely removed from the bag frame 18, and the cover 12 left open as shown in FIG. 3 and the rain can wash the entire unit. Obviously the better way to clean the unit is to prevent it from becoming dirty, and because the upper portion of the bag 20, as shown in FIG. 3, completely covers the upper portion of the bag frame 18, the possibilities of contaminating or dirtying the bag frame as well as the support stake 14 are significantly reduced. Additionally, it becomes apparent that the cover 12 can be retracted to a position well clear of the opening defined by the bag frame 18 while refuse is placed into the bag 20.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative embodiments, usages and equivalents of a portable litter bag holder as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable litter bag holder comprising, in combination,

a folding frame having a support stake and a bag frame pivotally secured thereto to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the support stake,

stop means on the bag frame proportioned to terminate the pivotal action of the bag frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the support stake when pivoted thereabout,

a cover having means pivotally mounting the same to the bag frame to pivot thereabout along an axis parallel with the axis about which the bag frame pivots with respect to the support stake,

and stop means on the cover restraining the same for retraction into a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the bag frame whereby the stop limits cooperate with the frame members to facilitate operation as well as folding for storage.

2. In the portable litter bag holder of the character defined in claim 1 above,

a foot piece at the lower portion of the support stake to assist in mounting the unit in the ground.

3. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 2 above,

a pointed end of the support stake.

4. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 1 above,

said cover having a bag retainer recess about its periphery to positively engage the bag upper edges folded about the bag frame while closing the bag.

5. In the portable litter bag holder of Claim 1 above,

said bag frame comprising a single piece member with a rear, two sides, a stop elbow leg, a pivot elbow leg, a stop elbow and a pivot elbow,

and a pivot pin passing through the stop elbow and pivot elbow and support stake.

6. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 1 above,

a cover hinge pin secured to the bag frame parallel with its rear portion and therebeneath,

hinge pin pocket means on the cover to receive said cover hinge pin,

whereby the pivotal action of the cover proceeds out of direct contact with the bag frame edges thereby reducing any tendency to rub the upper edges of the bag reversely folded about the bag frame.

7. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 4 above,

said bag frame comprising a single piece member with a rear, two sides, a stop elbow leg, a pivot elbow leg, a stop elbow and a pivot elbow,

and a pivot pin passing through the stop elbow and pivot elbow and support state.

8. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 4 above,

a cover hinge pin secured to the bag frame parallel with its rear portion and therebeneath,

hinge pin pocket means on the cover to receive said cover hinge pin,

whereby the pivotal action of the cover proceeds out of direct contact with the bag frame edges thereby reducing any tendency to rub the upper edges of the bag reversely folded about the bag frame.

9. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 8 above,

a cover hinge pin secured to the bag frame parallel with its rear portion and therebeneath,

hinge pin pocket means on the cover to receive said cover hinge pin,

whereby the pivotal action of the cover proceeds out of direct contact with the bag frame edges thereby reducing any tendency to rub the upper edges of the bag reversely folded about the bag frame.

10. In the portable litter bag holder of the character defined in claim 9 above,

a foot piece at the lower portion of the support stake to assist in mounting the unit in the ground. 

1. A portable litter bag holder comprising, in combination, a folding frame having a support stake and a bag frame pivotally secured thereto to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the support stake, stop means on the bag frame proportioned to terminate the pivotal action of the bag frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the support stake when pivoted thereabout, a cover having means pivotally mounting the same to the bag frame to pivot thereabout along an axis parallel with the axis about which the bag frame pivots with respect to the support stake, and stop means on the cover restraining the same for retraction into a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the bag frame whereby the stop limits cooperate with the frame members to facilitate operation as well as folding for storage.
 2. In the portable litter bag holder of the character defined in claim 1 above, a foot piece at the lower portion of the support stake to assist in mounting the unit in the ground.
 3. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 2 above, a pointed end of the support stake.
 4. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 1 above, said cover having a bag retainer recess about its periphery to positively engage the bag upper edges folded about the bag frame while closing the bag.
 5. In the portable litter bag holder of Claim 1 above, said bag frame comprising a single piece member with a rear, two sides, a stop elbow leg, a pivot elbow leg, a stop elbow and a pivot elbow, and a pivot Pin passing through the stop elbow and pivot elbow and support stake.
 6. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 1 above, a cover hinge pin secured to the bag frame parallel with its rear portion and therebeneath, hinge pin pocket means on the cover to receive said cover hinge pin, whereby the pivotal action of the cover proceeds out of direct contact with the bag frame edges thereby reducing any tendency to rub the upper edges of the bag reversely folded about the bag frame.
 7. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 4 above, said bag frame comprising a single piece member with a rear, two sides, a stop elbow leg, a pivot elbow leg, a stop elbow and a pivot elbow, and a pivot pin passing through the stop elbow and pivot elbow and support state.
 8. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 4 above, a cover hinge pin secured to the bag frame parallel with its rear portion and therebeneath, hinge pin pocket means on the cover to receive said cover hinge pin, whereby the pivotal action of the cover proceeds out of direct contact with the bag frame edges thereby reducing any tendency to rub the upper edges of the bag reversely folded about the bag frame.
 9. In the portable litter bag holder of claim 8 above, a cover hinge pin secured to the bag frame parallel with its rear portion and therebeneath, hinge pin pocket means on the cover to receive said cover hinge pin, whereby the pivotal action of the cover proceeds out of direct contact with the bag frame edges thereby reducing any tendency to rub the upper edges of the bag reversely folded about the bag frame.
 10. In the portable litter bag holder of the character defined in claim 9 above, a foot piece at the lower portion of the support stake to assist in mounting the unit in the ground. 